the Gratefulness
by Constanzia
Summary: I write a couple of chapters after every episode of Game of Thrones. I focus on the relations between Arya and Gendry as I create small continuations. Please read and enjoy. :
1. Chapter 1

Written after the 3rd episode of season 2 that's why I connect it with "the Game of Thrones" tv show and not with "A Song of the Ice and Fire".

* * *

Sounds are monotonous but they don't seem friendly. She can hear the horses snorting, the rattling of harness, but the forest is quiet. It is almost like it is watching them with caution. It's too quiet for her, unnatural, vicious. The soldiers are close to the only fire that was lit before the night came. They're not eager to talk to each other. They are glad they have killed the bastard but the rest of the captured men is just a burden for them.

"_We should just kill them all_" says one of the soldiers and Arya recognizes him. This is the man who took the Needle. She's been watching him ever since and thought about getting her sword back. But the odds are not in her favour. She has to wait for a better situation. For different circumstances.

"_They slow the march and now we have to freeze because of those rats!_" continues the man.

"_We wouldn't get home any earlier_" replies a soldier sitting next to him and gives him an angry look which ends the conversation.

She is cold. Even though she is from the North and she has gotten used to winter, she has to admit that she is freezing. She can see that all of the other men are cold too, their uneven breaths create small clouds of fog in front of their faces. The fire is too far from them to feel its warmth. They are all sitting or laying on the ground, hands tied, clinging to each other to get warmer, resting for the night, sleeping. But there is no rest for her. She can still hear Yoren's words. She can still see his death. He fought till the end, protecting her. Protecting them.

She looks at Gendry who lies a few steps away from her. His eyes are shut, mouth trembling because of the cold but she is sure he is not sleeping. He is trying to fight with the cold air, maybe trying to erase images of the fight from his head. She will be trying to do this later but now she is too tensed, all the deaths are too fresh in her mind. The swords sliding against the armour, cutting the flesh, blood not dripping but spurting out of the wounds. Fire reflecting in non-seeing eyes, the smell of death and the fear what's going to happen next, the fear of the unknown.

She puts her knees closer to her chest to keep her warmer but a chatter of her teeth breaks the silence anyway. Gendry opens his eyes. Firstly he looks alarmed, maybe expecting to see a sword ready to cut his throat. He looks around not moving from his place. Finally, as if calmed down a little he looks at Arya.

"_You need to sleep_" he whispers not to draw the soldiers attention.

"_I can't_" replies the girl with sad eyes. Her look is sad but not frightened. Sad but not idly depressed. She surprises him even with this detail.

He doesn't have to ask if it is because of the cold or because of the situation they have gotten into. He knows it's both. And he knows this girl, this high-born lady has also different demons to fight with. He crawls silently towards her and lays closer. She looks a bit surprised when he puts his tied hands on her cold fingers only to put them on his chest to warm them up. She looks in his eyes and after a moment she moves closer to him. For a second she wonders if someone has noticed any movement but it doesn't look suspicious. Little by little they are able to feel the warmth of their bodies. The chattering of teeth stops and only once in a while one of them shivers.

"_Thank you_" he says unexpectedly. His whisper reveals the depth of his words. He owns her his life and although being a bastard doesn't exclude the knowledge of what honour is, he expresses his gratefulness when he thinks she is asleep. As if he was afraid.

But afraid of what? Of the consequences? No, he would do anything to protect her now. Scarred of what it means for them? No, he's not afraid of tomorrow although he has no clue what the gods have prepared for them. Of her reaction? Most probably. He has never known anyone like her and she surprises him with her strength, ambition, courage and how a pain in the arse she sometimes is. She is intriguing and impressive. A true high-born. Maybe that's the case.

He suddenly feels a warm grip of her hands on his own.

"_You would have done the same for me_", she says quietly and with an unwavering certainty. He is a bit embarrassed at first and shocked but then he only smiles a little in the dark.

She is surprised to be falling asleep. She hasn't slept well or at all for so many nights. But somehow now she is able not to think of the dreadful images in her head. Is it because of Gendry? She wonders for a while but then sleep consumes her thoughts and visions. The last of them was his tender smile in the dark. Or maybe she has just imagined it.


	2. Chapter 2

I wasn't planning to write anything more in this story but somehow the 1st chapter seems not enough for me. I hope you're gonna enjoy it as much as I did when writing it.

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The sun is shining intensely through the branches of high trees but it doesn't warm up her skin. The wind is not fresh and chilly but rather piercing. The forest looks almost familiar with the roughness of the bark underneath her fingertips and the silent crunch of dry leaves beneath her feet. Almost like at home. Almost, because the trees seem much too tall for the ones she used to climb at Winterfell, much too thick and much too frightful.

She can't seem to remember what she is looking for. Is she looking for anything at all? She stops to listen for a while. She tries to muffle her own breath when looking around. Suddenly she realizes that all she can hear is… dead silence. She can feel the cold wind on her face, ruffling her short hair, even see the leaves whirling in the distance but there is no howling. Has she seen any birds here so far? Yes, but they are all silent now. There are no squirrels playing on the branches, there is no one here.

She finally decides to go further when she hears a crush of a broken branch. Arya realises that she's not alone but she hasn't seen anyone in the forest. She instinctively reaches for the Needle but all she finds next to her belt is thin air. Memory of the bald soldier taking away her sword burns with planned revenge but nevertheless right now she is defenceless. She decides to follow the man in the forest as quietly as possible. She can clearly hear his footsteps and somehow the sound is familiar. Crossing a rotten, fallen tree she gets to the clearing and stands exactly behind the followed man. It's like he's expecting her.

Firstly she notices that he is unarmed. This is some kind of relief for her. Only seconds later she recognises this posture, a well built man, stooping his shoulders which evidently have fought many battles and arms which have gotten used to a sword. Long hair looks like her own with the exception of grey highlights caught by the wind.

One word escapes her mouth even before the man turns around towards her.

"_Father_"

She is overwhelmed by emotions. Joy, confusion, relief, fear. Everything mixes in one painful bump in her chest. She starts running to him, to fall into his already widely spread arms. She sees his bright eyes and the smile she loves so much, the one they used to share whenever they thought alike, whenever she did something not lady-like but he was so proud of her anyway. Or maybe exactly because of that.

There are only few steps dividing them when Arya notices another person entering the clearing. He is a young boy with golden hair, a posture of a coward and a sickening, malicious smile on his narrow mouth. He's running towards them with a dagger and before she manages to warn her father Joffrey cuts Lord Stark's throat.

She can see the blood, almost smell it and most importantly she can hear it oozing from the body. Gurgling and bubbling last dreadfully long. The sound is terrifying, taking control over her own body.

She wakes up suddenly with tensed muscles and the sound of death still ringing in her ears. She looks at her hands tightly clutched on Gendry's hands. She tries to focus on them because they are real. They are not a part of a nightmare. She can actually feel how he squeezes her fingers. The touch is friendly and she appreciates the fact how clumsy it is. His hands have gotten used to holding a hammer, not a girl. The thought doesn't bring a smile, she's too moved by her dream to smile, but a feeling of relief allows her to relax her muscles.

She raises her eyes. It's still dark but she can hear the voices of the Gold Cloaks. She wants to gently lift up her head to see more but Gendry tightens his grip on her hands. Arya understands without words what it means. Something bad is happening. Something from her nightmare becomes reality and she freezes in terror when she realizes it's the sound, the gurgling of blood. That's what has awaken her and that's what they could both hear now.

Footsteps become louder.

"_What are we going to tell at Harenhall_?", asked one of the soldiers.

"_That they were killed during escape. No one is going to ask about them anyway_" replied someone. "_Besides, they were the slowest ones. The rest should be happy to be still alive_."

"_If I were them I would be too happy about it. Harenhall is cursed…" _

The voices fade away in the darkness. Soon after, there come another two soldiers dragging two bodies. Arya can easily recognise an old man who wasn't always nice to her but was harmless. She knew he was only a thief, not a murderer, not a person who should end up with his throat cut open. Despite his age he would be helpful at the Wall. They always needed a pair of hands there. But at Harenhall there was no place for him. His face is stained with blood now but oddly calm. At least he wasn't aware of the death coming.

The second victim didn't have that much luck if she could think of any. This man was killed because of a wound in his leg, it slowed him down and during their trip to the Wall he used to ride on a cart. He definitely wasn't sleeping when the soldiers came closer to him with their swords ready to cut through his flesh. He didn't have time to fight back. His face is twisted with horror, eyes wide open, scarlet pouring from his mouth and wound, glimmering in the moonlight. He saw death and death was looking through him, looking directly at her.

Arya closed her eyes but the look of the dead man didn't vanish. There is no way for her to fall asleep again. She wouldn't get much of sleep anyway. They have to keep going and to stay alive they have to move fast.


	3. Chapter 3

Written after 2x04

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The sun is rising slowly. Arya can feel the warm rays of light on her skin. They are so different from the ones in her nightmares, so real. It's getting warmer but her clothes are still wet because of the rain and mud. She is dirty and tired but she doesn't care. Every night she falls asleep saying her prayers, repeating the names of people who had hurt her family.

"_Joffrey, Cersei, Ilyn Payne, the Hound…_"

The feeling of revenge gives her strength. She does everything in her power not to shut in her thoughts and be swayed by the fear that she can almost smell in the air.

She pulls her stiffed hands out from Gendry's grip, slowly, not to wake him up. But even though her moves are gentle he opens his eyes.

He makes a wry face. His body hurts because of their journey, because of the cold, the rain and because of the pushes and kicks the Golden Cloaks have given them so generously. He stretches his arms in silence and watches the guards sleeping next to the enclosure they are kept inside of. Soldiers don't seem to care about them. There's no way they could escape. During their first night at Harrenhal Gendry tried to break the chains. But his knowing a lot about smithing didn't make their situation any better. Examining the chains and the shackles he only confirmed himself in the belief that he's going to die here.

It seems like the only possibility to get out of this rotten and mouldy place is starving to death or being chosen by the Mountain. Chosen for certain death. Every evening seems like a damned blessing. They get to live one more day but they witness the horrible deaths of other prisoners. And the tortures never stop.

This morning is not going to be different. They can already hear the fast footsteps. The guards get up quickly, ready for orders. And here he comes. He's got his armour as dirty as his soul, eyes cruel and cold. The Mountain. He stands near the fence where he towers over all of the people around him.

Gendry tries to keep his head down and he is glad that Arya does the same and doesn't stare into the guards' eyes when they come to pick out another victim. Hotpie is a fool for believing that this could actually work. She is so smart it makes him a little proud of her. Yet a feeling of despair overtakes him when he remembers there is no way out of here for her. Neither for her, nor for anyone.

The Mountain remains silent for a while, relishing the fear in the air, examining every single prisoner.

Silence is disturbed with the already hated single word spoken coldly and toughly.

"You."

There is consternation among people when they raise their heads to see who is the unfortunate one today.

For a second Arya isn't sure who was picked out. She is certain it is not her, the Mountain isn't looking in her direction. Her heart stops in terror at the thought that it might be Gendry. But the Gods have been kind to him too. Nevertheless the boy standing next to him didn't have that much luck. He is shocked by the verdict. At first he cannot even move and when he is hastened by the guard he stumbles and falls.

Instinctively Gendry leans over to help him get up. He doesn't really know why he is doing that. He simply feels the need for helping the poor fellow. He grabs his arms and lifts the trembling body.

A silent, tearful "_thank you_" is all he can hear before he feels a terrible pain in his chest. Next thing he senses is the ground hitting his back and the mud splashing all around him.

Polliver's favourite entertainment is pushing and shoving. Any emotions and acts of sympathy are in his opinion pointless and contemptible. He didn't like Gendry's empathy, he didn't like him from the very beginning. In his opinion Gendry may cause trouble, he is stubborn and defiant. That is why Polliver is going to use every possibility to subdue him. Him and his little friend from whom he has taken the sword he carries with himself.

Arya makes a step towards Gendry but stops when notices his firm glimpse which tells her to stay away from him. She realises she can't help. Actually any involvement could make the situation worse. What if the Mountain changes his mind and takes Gendry or her to torture? What if Polliver beats Gendry harder? That is why she stops and watches. She has already noticed that the guard who has taken the Needle is not a smart, but still a dangerous opponent. However he is easily satisfied and as Arya presumes, he leaves them as soon as he drags the unfortunate boy. The Mountain leaves as well to torture and kill.

The girl walks up to Gendry who is still lying on the ground. He stifles because of the punch for a while.

"_Are you all right?"_ she asks hesitantly. She knows that he's not. Everyone here is far from being all right. The question seems dull and inappropriate the second she speaks it out loud.

"_Never better_" he mutters grimly.

She helps him to sit up and lean against a pillar. They look at each other until Arya sits next to him. The fortress is silent for a while. The tortures haven't begun yet. Maybe the boy decided to talk before they snap his neck or burn him alive.

"_Don't get into any unnecessary trouble_" he says finally. His words are silent and he is surprised how tensed his voice is.

"_I won't_" says Arya defiantly.

" _I mean it!_" he says more firmly but she can still hear concern in his voice. "_Even if they pick me…_ " he stops only for a second but she lifts her eyes to look at him. "_Don't do anything stupid!"_

"_I won't_" she repeats more obediently.

He forces himself to believe that still, by any chance she might get out of this alive.

After the long cry and the dreadful silence which mean only one - that another hasn't survived the questioning - the evening falls. Gendry hasn't spoken a word since their short conversation and Arya isn't eager to talk as well. It's raining again. It constantly rains here at nights making it impossible to feel at least a substitute of comfort. They are all hungry but they can't fall asleep to limit their pains and suffering. The old women who has lost all her family here asks Polliver to give them some food. A desperate cry costs her a punch which quiets her for a while, but sobbing starts soon after.

Gendry doesn't move. He wants to help but he realises that he can't save the whole world. He can't even save himself or the little m'lady. This frustrates him, makes him bitter day by day.

Arya starts her prayer again, like every single night. Her voice mixed with the pouring rain calms down the smith's nerves, allows him to fall to a nervous sleep, but a sleep nevertheless. Nothing changes, except from the list where new names appear:

"_Joffrey, Cersei, Ilyn Payne, the Hound, Polliver, the Mountain…_"


	4. Chapter 4

Days are passing slowly. Every single one is marked by the cruelty of The Mountain and other soldiers, however the number of the prisoners doesn't decrease. On the contrary, Arya even thinks that there are more and more of them. New faces, new screams, new deaths. The soldiers start to capture people from more distant villages. They ask about some Brotherhood but only prisoners from this area might have any idea what it is.

Arya figured out it is some kind of a secret organization disobeying or fighting against Lannisters. Because of this knowledge a weak ray of hope lighted her heart. She started to think that once they choose her or Gendry they might get away alive because they're not from here and they honestly know nothing. But she isn't naïve and so isn't Gendry. As soon as one of the men who travelled with them and Yoren is tortured to death, obviously knowing nothing about the Brotherhood, she realizes they are trapped and only some outer force could get them out of here.

Tonight it doesn't rain. It almost provokes a smile on her face when she locks her eyes on Gendry who now automatically is looking for the weak link of the chains. She knows he has to occupy at least his hands because he isn't able to occupy his mind with any positive thought. She can see how scared he is, how more and more frustrated he gets day by day but also how protective he's become and how much he tries to be brave for his or her sake.

And she is scared too. She is scared of how little she can do about their situation, scared that another people she has started to care about can die any day now. And she cares about Gendry because he is her friend. Her only friend right now, the only person she can trust, the only man she could share her secrets with.

So when she is watching him in the moonlight she wants to say something, let him know that she appreciates his efforts to stay calm and brave, that she considers him her friend. Maybe this would be some kind of consolation to him. But the words never come.

Something stops her from saying aloud how attached to him she has become. Partially it is because she considers this touchy emotional confession too girlish. Not because she is pretending to be a boy now. No, she thinks it's too childish and not brave enough to say such words at all. She's never heard her father or brothers speaking words like that to their fellow men. Arya noticed that men simply know this kind of thing, understand their relations without words. She hoped Gendry also understands or will understand that he is an important figure in her life now.

But she also doesn't speak her mind because of some strange gut feeling she has suddenly had. It is similar to fear but it is much stronger and more painful. She can feel her body stiffen, stupor is catching her stomach, heart and throat. She knows this sensation, she knows it means no good. She tries to calm her mind in the only way that works these days – repeating the names, her silent prayer.

Gendry doesn't want to talk either. He can't trust many people here and everyone around him is cautious and probably eager to sell others' secrets for a promise of safety, so almost every conversation he has with Arya is whispered. Besides, what new could he tell? He focuses his eyes on the chain. He knows too well that he can't free himself but he still tries to find the weak link. But it doesn't relax him, the sound of steel would calm him much better but the only sound he can hear in this place is the sound of metal cutting human flesh, not the sound of hot steel hit by a heavy hammer. He misses this sound. He wonders if Arya would also like it, if it would also calm her down. But he quickly pushes this thought away from him. What good does it do to consider such thing when they are trapped here without any possibility to escape?

His bitter thoughts are broke by the silent prayer he hears every night. The list of names is longer that the first time he heard it. But it is still too long for a girl like her. For a highborn like her. For his friend.

He realizes her voice calms him down better than anything else, better than his beloved steel. He drops the chains, closes his eyes and listens to the prayer. Maybe it has also become his prayer because when she finishes and falls asleep he also feels better.

He moves carefully closer to her and lays down next to her tiny body. Listening to her steady breath he falls asleep as well.

The morning came too quickly. Nights are cold and wet and the hunger doesn't allow to sleep but they are still better than days. Days mean fear and death. Arya openes her eyes slowly. She can feel every muscle in her body aching because of uncomfortable position in which she has slept all night. She misses her bed in Winterfell, she misses everything and everyone connected with this place. But she doesn't want to think about them. Not now, it is too painful and too distracting and she has to stay focused. But the pain isn't the only thing she can feel. A big, warm hand is placed on her arm, a hand she knows well just like she knows well its owner.

She always places herself next to Gendry. Somehow they both feel better sleeping this way. Maybe not safer but better. She moves on her side to look at him. The warm hand of the young smith tightens its grip on her body. It's like he is checking in his sleep if she is still near him. His lips are parted, he breathes in and out the damp morning air steadily. One could think he is almost calm in his slumber but Arya notices his brows knitted in a nervous manner. She asks herself if he has always slept this way and for a second she wonders how he would look in his sleep without any worries in his mind.

Gendry wakes up slowly. He still has a dream at the back of his head when he opens his eyes. He is surprised by the sight in front of him – a pair of grey wolf-like eyes watches him carefully. He doesn't see sadness or terror in them. Instead, he finds curiosity and notices a faint smile on her lips. He has to fight a sudden urge to move a strand of her dark hair from her face but when he notices where his hand is placed he grumbles something unintelligibly.

"_Morning_" says Arya quietly as in response to the sound he made.

Gendry realizes she doesn't mind his touch but he removes his hand from her arm. They still have a few minutes before the guards show up to pick another person to question. He wants to say something but he feels awkward. He shouldn't touch a highborn this way and he'd better not touch her at all in case anyone notices why he is so protective towards her. For everyone else she is still Arry, not Arya.

She notices how tensed he's gotten after waking up and she wonders if it is because of how close to him she lays herself to sleep. She decides to move somewhere else this night, not to bother him, when the guards enter the courtyard.

The sound of heavy footsteps is mixed with the tossing of chains and shackles when they all get up quickly. The Mountain comes closer to the fence that separates them from freedom. But something is wrong. Arya can feel it. She can see it. The Mountain isn't considering picking any ordinary prisoner. He already knows who to question today. He smiles darkly focusing his eyes on one boy in particular when they all hear him:

"_You_"

All of the captured people raise their eyes to see who is going to be tortured today. But Arya doesn't have to. She looks straight at Gendry who goes pale. He quickly looks around to make sure it is him who got chosen but when he looks into the wolf's eyes he doesn't have to pretend anymore. Now all the shades of gray in her eyes shine with terror and fear.

His shackles are removed and he is pushed to the Chamber of Truth – as the soldiers call the small yard where the tortures begin.

He's glad it's not her. He only worries that she's gonna have to look at all this. She rarely turns her head away from death and now she isn't going to stop looking in his eyes either. He is scared and admits it to himself. That's all he can do during his last minutes of life – to be honest with himself. He looks one last time at her before he is tied to the chair.

"_Rats, bloody rats_" he thinks. He would prefer mangling of limbs or hot iron. At least he would die like a smith. He would smirk if the situation wasn't so grim.

Arya pushes towards the fence. She has to look at him. She remembers his words not to do anything stupid but she is angry at herself that she doesn't know what to do at all – stupid or not.

She can't hear the question, only his voice pushes its way through the rush of her blood blocking any other sound from her ears.

"_I'm not from the village_"

His chest moves almost spasmodically when he breathes sharply.

"_Where is the Brotherhood?"_ another question is more hearable.

"_I don't know what that is."_ Gendry replies quickly.

Arya thinks her heart stops when she sees the bucket with the rat being tied to his chest. She takes a deep breath, ready to scream, to draw the guards attention away from her friend. A shriek forms in her throat when the silence is interrupted by the loud and impatient trump of horses.

Arya would never admit that but she has never been more happy and relieved to see one of the Lannisters than right now.


	5. Chapter 5

Written after 2x05

* * *

She stays outside for a while. She feels that she needs some fresh air. Her back is pressed to the cold wall, her head spinning because of what has happened today so she takes a few more deep breaths. What has she gotten into this time? She barely avoided punishment for lying.

"_Red salmon, you stupid girl" _Arya whispers angrily to herself.

At least her next answer was good enough. She had always paid a lot of attention to the history her father wanted her to learn. She wasn't as good as Bran but she certainly could name all of the Houses in the North properly. She could describe the Houses, the lords and the sigils they had without any mistake. Now it saved her life. Besides, admitting that she's from the North wasn't so bad. Saying at least part of the truth makes it easier to build her new identity around these little facts she gave away. There is no need for any unnecessary complications. Her situation is already complicated enough.

And all the things these men were saying about Robb. He is a true warrior now and it makes her really proud but she is scared that he has not enough people to fight against Lannisters. However good commander he might be, his army is not big enough. Maybe her being here, serving Tywin Lannister and listening closely to his discussions would help Robb. If she hears something she will definitely try to warn her brother. Maybe she will be able to send a raven to him. But Lannisters haven't planned anything yet and it seems like they have quite a big struggle with him.

She is already tired with this day. And this day is not an ordinary day at all. Right after she went out to fetch some water she met this man she had saved the night when Yoren was killed. What was his name again? Jaqen H'ghar. Gendry said she should be scared of him. She hadn't been afraid of him earlier but when she saw him in the Lannisters armour she finally felt a chill down her spine.

"_I should have let you burn_" she said to him when he followed her.

What struck her was that he called her a friend. Maybe he really is her friend after all. Or at least he is an honourable man. If not towards her than at least he pays a lot of respect to his Gods.

"_Speak three names_" he said in a soft voice.

She could still hear his whisper in her ears. Gentle as the wind, sweeping around her body and letting go as silently as the midnight breeze. At first she was suspicious. It has become obvious to her not to trust anyone. But something in his voice and in his eyes was telling her that it was all right to trust him. Maybe not with her life but at least with her revenge. Perhaps he truly wants to help her.

She has a long list of names but most of these people she wants to kill in person. She wants to see them suffer, crushed by her justice, by her vengeance. However, here and now there are also other people who deserve to die.

The first man who came to her mind when talking to Jaqen was the man who tortures the prisoners. No matter if he takes orders or no. In her opinion he doesn't deserve to live. Arya has been shocked by his cruelty, his malice and nastiness from the very beginning. But it had never struck her harder than when Gendry was picked out to be questioned. She remembers the man's creepy smile. His lips spreading meanly and eyes glimmering with sickening pleasure.

He has to die. One reason is because he won't torture anyone else. Arya is aware that there will be another soldier eager enough to take his place but maybe not as full of hatred as this one. Second reason is that his death will surely test Jaqen's trustworthiness. And when the time comes she will speak another two names. But the third and the most important reason why Arya sentenced the Tickler to death is what he wanted to do to her. He wanted to hurt Gendry, to take him away from her.

The very thought of loosing someone important to her makes her sick. Another few deep breaths fill her lungs but this time the action of breathing doesn't help. The image of Gendry tied to the chair and close to death is too vivid in her mind. She forces herself to think that he is safe now. At least safer than he used to be a few days earlier. She stops breathing so harshly and listens for a while.

Yes, he is in the forge. She can hear him working. The even sound of hammer hitting the hot steel proves he is still alive. She imagines him holding firmly the tool of his work, how it falls heavily on the anvil, how his every move is strong, precise and accurate at the same time. She imagines the sparks shooting from under the hammer, how they slide against his leather apron. And finally she lets herself imagine his face, enlightened by the fire, eyes focused on his work.

This image allows her to breath in slowly, without pain. It sooths her devastated nerves so well that she lets the vision stay for a while in her head. Nonetheless she doesn't allow her mind to wander away for too long.

She has duties now. And because of her inattention with the sigils she has to be more careful than ever. One more mistake and she may not see the sun rising again. She may not hear the hammer again.

Arya tears her back away from the cold stones of the wall. She squeezes the pitcher full of fresh water and forces herself to move slowly towards the upper chambers of the castle. Tywin Lannister wanted her to fetch some water.

"_We'll be here for some time_" he said. It seems that the night might be even longer than the day.


End file.
